The task of providing a computer hosting service arose with the onset of linking computers together. The idea of providing a set of application services by a particular server to outside personal computer users arose with the creation of shared access centers. Generally, these shared access centers consisted of mainframe computers (term described in http://www.pcwebopedia.com/TERM/m/mainframe.html) which allowed user access to some services, such as booking offices.
The rapid growth of the Internet and the need for remote access to servers profoundly increased the demand for a computer hosting service. The growing need for quality and efficiency of both Internet access channels and servicing computers led to the rapid growth in the creation of data centers and the services they provide.
The provision of remote computer hosting service is based on the client-server concept. (Operating Systems: a design oriented approach, Charles W. Crowley. Irwin. 1997. ISBN 0-256-15151-2.) The problem of shared access to files, for instance, can be efficiently solved using a client-server model. Traditionally, the problem of shared access to files was dealt with by providing a corresponding service to one of the network computers, e.g., by means of a file server. When a file server was used, software installation was required to allow the other computers to work with files located at the corresponding server. This functionality was achieved by copying the files locally or by emulating access to the network files for files located at a virtual local disk. For instance, the DOS software developed for the operating systems of IBM PC compatible computers has been organized in exactly this way. Client software, properly connected to both the network and the corresponding file server, displayed the so-called network drive. (Distributed Operating Systems, Andrew S. Tanenbaum, 1994. Prentice Hall. ISBN: 0132199084.) As a result, the locally launched software of a client will work with remote files in the same manner as if the remote files were placed on a local hard drive.
More sophisticated problems occur when the server and services are spaced far apart and linked together by the Internet global network, e.g., files at a server to which access is provided by special network protocols such as the http-World Wide Web service-protocol (Network Working Groiup “Request for Comments: 1945 Hypertext Transfer Protocol—HTTP/1.0”.) These protocols are intentionally tailored to function in a distributed client-server network with connections which are looser than those found in a local network such as described above.
Servicing such a protocol requires WWW server installation with a stable Internet connection plus regular computer and service functioning. Such services require substantial capital investments and are primarily available in the data centers. Only the professional computer centers can render safe and dedicated Internet access lines, surplus power supply, cooling, and fire/damage protection.
Typically, data center customers receive the following services and equipment:                dedicated data center-owned computer with network access fully operated by the customer        installation of the customer's computer in the data center, i.e., collocation service; and        a data center computer partially operated by a customer for use of services provided at the discretion of the data center.        
The last service mentioned above may occur if the data center has specially trained personnel and software. Usually a separate department or an independent company carries out this service while a data center simply provides all the necessary equipment. Today, such companies frequently provide the “web hosting” or, in other words, permit the providers' web servers to be filled with independent contents. (Building a UNIX Internet Server, George Eckel. 1995. New Riders Publishing. ASIN: 1562054945.)
Traditionally, web-hosting companies render their own web-servers as they are, without any configuration modifications. Installation of the so-called scripts or executable CGI files (The Common Gateway Interface. http://hoohoo.ncsa.uiuc.edu/cgi/overview.html), written in a Perl-type interpretive language, may present certain difficulties. The scripts should be executed at the server together with instructions received from users. Usually the scripts are used for dynamic generation of web page content. Most active servers have long been generating almost all of their pages by this “on-the-fly” technique. However, mutual utilization of these applications may cause a number of difficulties, including versions of language interpreters, web-servers and web-server configurations, incorrectly written applications, and associated server failure, plus loss of security and unauthorized access to data.
Under the prior art scheme described above, users get access to the shared server but are not able to modify the shared server configuration to their preferences and needs (See FIG. 1). Scripts that are launched in the common environment for all users and any script with the slightest problem immediately influence every participant of the scheme.
The set of required uses goes beyond web-hosting to include such widespread services as e-mail and ftp services of electronic mail and file access. Difficulties arising under their functioning are similar to those of the Www service described earlier. Moreover, users often prefer access to a separate computer connected to the Internet, i.e., via telnet or secure shell connection.
In today's market, Application Service Providers (ASP) represent another class of hosting services that are in demand. Usually, Application Service Providers provide shared access to a shared application such as a database, which is installed and administered by the provider's system engineer. (Beginner's Guide to ASP. http://www.aspstreet.com/archive/d.taf/sid,14/id,715.) User access is restricted to the database alone. Access to office applications, for example, is practically impossible as their installation implies that there is only one user. Security of data access is yet another problem.
Presently available services are generally limited to web/email/ftp servers or services which allow users to install a dedicated computer independently and then to be responsible for its administration.
Applications-emulators of an operating system may be potentially used for personal remote computers. The series of operating systems, the latest one called “z/VM”, applied in IBM systems software, appears to be among the first of such emulator products. When applied, the users receive a full-sized computer with emulating hardware and the opportunity to install their own version of an operating system. (z/VM V4 R2.0 General Information Manual. http://www.vm.ibm.com/pubs/pdf/hcsf8a41.pdf.) Both hardware and software in this case must meet a high standard of quality and are consequently very costly. Only companies with qualified personnel and adequate start-up capital for the initial system installation choose this option.
Until recently, similar systems with the much cheaper IBM PC compatibles have not met the technical requirements. Nearly complete emulation of hardware by software and the functioning of two kernels of operating system (one on top of another on the same computer) has resulted in a small scalability with high maintenance overhead. (VMware Workstation User's Manual. http://www.vmware.com/pdf/ws30_manual.pdf.) Users working in such an environment typically become dissatisfied with the resources consumed and the emulator performance proportion. An insufficient level of hardware specialization has made these methods impractical with the IBM PC architecture for mass customer servicing.
Nevertheless, the problem of providing high quality, efficient computer hosting services persists and remains unsolved. There is a need in the art for improved unification and simplification for both users and administrators. For simplicity and to ease hardware emulation, a small set of options, available at the operating system inside the emulator, would be preferable. The installation process and system support should be simplified. Maintenance and Administration of the underlying operating system should be streamlined and require fewer resources. Such virtualized pseudo-hardware should be less diverse and require less maintenance than real data center hardware. Such a system should narrow support to highly unified configurations in order to simplify the work of system engineers and administrators and allow the development of efficient control and monitoring software for the entire complex.
Additionally, there exists a need to minimize the users' physical access to the network and computer hardware. This is another big problem for data centers. Today, client service at data centers requires that clients have extensive physical access to their own computers. Thus, data center management is forced to use high-end control and access-providing technologies that require expensive and not necessarily effective security measures against physical damage. Such measures include secured vaults, anti-bombing devices and protection against access to data center equipment and data center customers' computers. However, such a need for frequent hardware access is often caused by the outdated computer organization employed. User access and physical contact with hardware is inevitable when users alone can get the computer reloaded by means of special repairing disks. What is needed is a system and method which does more than simply reducing such contacts but also completely eliminates procedures of this kind and vests rights of hardware interference with the data center personnel only.